Locatable louver operator



A. L. MILLER LOCATABLE LOUVER OPERATOR Filed Nov. 2, 1959 Sept. 13, 1960mvEHToQ ALV/A/ LEE M1452 BY 5W ATTO 2H EYS Unite States This inventionrelates generally to louver operators of the type used to rotatesimultaneously a plurality of parallel vertical (or horizontal) louvers,vanes, or shutters, such as those used in windows for protection againstthe sun. More particularly, this invention rel-ates to a louver operatorin which the operator is locatable at any point along one frame rail bymeans of a pair of tracks lying in planes which are preferablysubstantially normal to each' other, one track being provided in therail to supportan operator carriage, and one track being provided on anarc arm which is swung through an arc movement to rotate the louversbetween open and closed position. In a preferred form of the invention,the operator is a gear box mounted on said carriage in alignment withthe pivots of louvers, and adapted to swing said are arm by means of anoperator arm of the same length as louver turning arms connected to saidare arm, coupling the two said are arms being made by means of an arcarm receiving channel of special cross-section making it readilyrelocatable.

It has long been known to control the sun and air entering a window bymeans of vanes or louvers disposed either horizontally or vertically inthe window, all being simultaneously rotatable about parallel axespassing through pivots in the window frame, or the like. The louvers areusually wide enough so that they overlap slightly when turned into theplane of the window in a closed position; they may be adjusted betweenthe closed position and a fully opened position in which each louverlies substantially in a plane normal to the plane of the window.

The air conditioning of building has greatly spurred the need for anduse of louvers external to the window, since the cost of airconditioning, both as to original installation and power required duringoperation, is enormously affected by the amount of sunlight impinging onglass windows, because of the greenhouse eifect. In modern building withlarge expanses of window space, the peak air conditioning load for areasjust inside unprotected Windows far exceeds anything that would berequired if the windows were protected from direct sunlight at strategictimes of the day and year. The installation of moveable louvers externalto large window areas on air conditioned buildings has been somewhatinhibited in the past, however, because of problems connected with operating the louvers from inside the window. Satisfactory crank and gearbox devices have been available for transmitting crank rotation to alouver movement operator external to the window, but the locating andre-locating of the operator itself has proven to be an expensive jobrequiring the service of a skilled craftsman.

. In modern oflice buildings, it is the practice to employ only curtainpartitions, the support of each floor being derived only from columns.Since the partitions bear no building load, any or all of them can betorn down and relocated -to accommodate to the requirements of thetenants. However, moving of a partition frequently requires relocationof the louver operator and the crank by atent O Patented Sept. 13, 1960means of which it is operated from inside the window. Also, each sectionof louvers should be operated by the occupant of the room inside, ratherthan by the occupant of some neighboring room or office. It is thereforenecessary to'provide for independent operation of any section of louversalong a glass external wall, depending upon the location of internalpartitioning. Drilling of the wall to accommodate the louver crankcannot be avoided, but drilling and redrilling of the louver frame railsand other parts of the louver, everytime in operator is located orrelocated produces holes not readily filled by patching and requires ascaffolding or swing stage, external to the building.

Another objection to previously known louver operators has been thetendency of said operators to develop friction or binding at or near thefully closed or fully opened positions. Many previously known operatorscould not be practically mounted in a manner which permitted operationgeometry of the most rational type, ie with linkages or levers or rackand pinion arrangements allowing the louvers to rotate freely in theirare of move ment.

Still another problem of previously known louver operators has been thatof reducing the clearance between the sill and the end of the moveablelouver. This clearance should be at a minimum if the louver is to fullycover the window area. Any substantial gap detracts from the appearanceesthetioally, and makes ine-fiicient use of the window opening.

An outstanding disadvantage of experimental attempts to solve some ofthe foregoing problems has been that adjustable or relocatable mountingof the louver operator has resulted in a shaky and unreliable mountingfor the operator itself, with consequent binding and decline inoperating elficiency after a period of use.

It is a major objectof the present invention to provide a louveroperator system in which the operator can be firmly and rigidly locatedand relocated at any point along a frame rail of a louver system withoutthe drilling of any holes in the louver system or rail, or otherwisepermanently modifying the system in any detectable manner.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a louver operatorwith perfect operating geometry, for any of several operating means, ina minimum vertical clearance between the sill and the lower end of themoveable louvers. (It will be understood that reference in these objectsand the following description to vertical louvers and the sill is usedbecause this is the most common and practical form of louverinstallation for modern buildings. However, it will also be understoodthat the invention is equally applicable to louvers which rotate abouthorizontal or other non-vertical axes, and all description and claimsare to be read as including such systems, rather than as being literallyconfined to vertical louvers, to which reference is made for purposes ofdescription since they are most common.) 7

Finally, it is a major object of the invention to provide an operatormounting and coupling to the louvers to be operated by said mountingwhich cooperate to provide rigid support for the operator and itsassociated mechanism, in a minimum of clearance between the end of thelouver and the adjacent window opening.

It will be seen from the following description that the inventionprovides a flexibly relocatable louver operator system which is nolonger subject to the objections of cost, expensive change, anddisfiguring alteration of the louver rail or system. The foregoing andother objects and advantages are achieved by provision of a mountingslot in the louver frame rail, for mounting the operator at any pointalong the rails link; and by the further provision of an easilyrelocatable channel-shaped coupling taken in connection with theaccompanying dr-awing,-in

which: V

Figure -1 is a front elevational view of a window (broken away in thecenter to reduce vertical dimension) showing a system of verticallouvers mounted therein between upper and lower rails, with a louveroperator locatable in the lower rail;

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a mounted operator as seenlooking slightly downwardly'from just "inside the lower louver rail;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the operator of Figure 2, with thecrank removed for better viewing, as seen looking upwardly from beneath,and toward the left end,

of the lower louver rail; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the couplingemployed inthe operator system, shown as it serves the additional function ofconnectingto arc arm sections.

ln Figure 1 a number of parallel vertical louvers rotatable aboutvertical axes through lower and upper pivot points at 11 and 12 in lowerand upper rails 13 and '14, respectively. The louver frame work may ormay not be completed with side rails 15 and 16, the entire system oflouvers 10 being fitted into a window indicated generally by the numeral17. I

The lower rail 13 is seen to be longitudinally slotted in its innersurface, by means of a slot 20, to which is mounted a louver operator 21best illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.

Figures 1 and 2 show that the louver rail 13 can be mounted on thewindow sill 18 by means of angle brackets 22, said being provided withslotted screw and bolt openings, 23 and 24, for adjustable mounting tothe sill 18 and the rail 13, respectively.

The embodiment of the drawings reveals one preferred form of theinvention in which the rail 13 is formed (as an aluminum extrusion orthe like) with a horizontal pivot flange 13a, for the mounting of thevertical louvers '10 in a manner to be described hereinafter, and avertical operator carriage flange 13b, to which an operator carriage 30is mounted by means of bolts'31 (see Figure 3) received in the slot 20.

It should be noted that the slot 20, seen in cross-section in Figures 2and 3, is partially enclosed, at its opening, by inwardly projectingshoulders 25 and 24, which ex- "tend along all or most of the slotlength (although it will be understood that openings might be providedat spaced intervals for introduction of nuts into the slot instead ofintroduction at the ends thereof only).

Operator 21 is ordinarily a reduction gear enclosed in a gear housing,and operated by a shaft 28 which is rotated by crank 26 by a personinside the building (or by power means, if desired). Ordinarily, theshaft 28 will extend through the wall from the exterior to the interiorof the building, in a manner not illustrated since it is common placeand used in connection with window operation and the like.

The louvers 10 are sufficiently Wide and spaced close enough togetheralong the rail 13 so that they slightly overlap in closed position toprovide complete privacy at the window opening.

As seen in Figure 2, the construction of the particular louvers seen inthe embodiment employs a right angle flange sheet metal louver arm 40,which has a pivot mounting41 at or near the lower end of the louver 10,in the upper surface of the pivot mounting flange 13a of lower rail 13.The louver arm 40 is pivotally connected at its swinging or are arm end42 by means of a pivot connection 43 to an arc arm 5% which is disposedparallel to rail 13 and in the same plane as pivot mounting flange Itwill'be understood that the invention is not limited to the particularshape of louver arm 40, or the particular location of pivot 41 relativeto the plane or planes of louver 10, as long as pivot 41 lies in asuitable louver rotation axis. Also, it will be understood that the arcarm 50 is pivotally connected by a pivot connection means like pivot 43at spaced intervals along its length to a number of louver arms 40operating a number of parallel louvers 10, thisnumber being at thechoice of the builder up to the very substantial number of louverscorresponding to many feet of windowwidth. For purposes of simplicityand clarity only one louver 10 is shown connected to the arc arm 50, butin actuality a single operator 21 will operate a dozen or more louvers,like louver 10, all connected in parallel to the arc arm 50.

The are a'rm 50 is a long bar running almost the width of the window 17,or the length of the rail 13, at least that portion thereof which is tobe controlled by the single operator 21. It is named an-arc arm becauseall points in it must swing through an arc in the plane of the arm '50and the pivot flange 13a as the pivots 43 for all the parallel louvers'10 are moved between open and closed positions. Thus, in describingsaid arc, the rail 50 moves in the direction of the arrow 5=1 towardsthe pivot flange 13a as the louver 10 is rotated (counter clockwise asseen in Figure 2) toward a closed position as indicated by the"arrow'52.

Arc arm 50 has mounted on it from the underside'a coupling 60 in theform of a short section of channel.

From Figure 4 it is seen that the coupling 60 has one wall 61 (on theright as illustrated) with an inner wall surface which is normal to theback 62 of channel 60 and to the plane in which the arc arm 50 isdisposed and moves. The opposite side wall 63 of the coupling 60 isrecessed as indicated at 64 in order to receive and hold arc arm 50 bymeans of an edge shoulder 51 which projects into the longitudinal recess64 and mates therewith. Thus, coupling 60 can be slipped onto the arcarm 50 from the underside at any point thereof and fastened in positionby means of a pair of lock screws 65, which preferably lock at theirinner ends into a lock screw slot 52 along the side wall of the arc arm50.

The coupling 60 may actually serve to splice two sections of arc arm 50aand 50b, as seen in Figure 4, but this is only incidental to itsprincipal purpose, which is to serveas a coupling'means to the operator21 so that the latter can cause the arc arm 50 to describe its arcmovement for opening or closing the louvers 10 as already described.Several means of linkage between the operator 21 and the coupling 60 areavailable, and the invention is not restricted in its generic sense tothe particular one illustrated, since many other linkage forms willoccur as well as rack and pinion, or any other mechanism of the samefunction. However, the species of the invention which is illustrated haspeculiar advantages in compactness and precision geometry as will now beexplained.

The construction of the specific embodiment shown is readily adaptableto placement of the vertical axis of operator output shaft 27 in thesame vertical plane as that defined by all the vertical axes of thelouver pivots 41, said line being indicated in Figure 2 by the numeral71. The radius A of the louver arm 40 may be made equal to the radius Bof the operator arm 70. The resulting geometry of the operating linkageis simple and free of any tendency to bind or resist turning. Moreover,the use of a flat sheet metal arm 70 insures suflicient strength in theplane in which stress occurs, while permitting the operator 21, thecoupling 60,'the arc arm 50, and the operator arm 70 to occupy a minimumof space in the vertical dimension. Thus reducing to' a very smalldistance the space between the lower ends of the louvers and the sill18.

While the operator system shown and described herein is fully capable ofachieving the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated,it will be realized that it is capable of considerable modificationwithout departure from the spirit of the invention. Thus, for example,less preferred species of, linkage may be used between the operator 21and the coupling 60, the louver arm 40 may be of very difierent designand appearance, the rail 13 may be quite different, and the operatorcarriage may be mounted in a manner different from that shown and may beof a different shape. Moreover, although the embodiment shown achievesstrength and stability by having the carriage 30 mounted against avertical surface of carriage flange 13b and coupled to a substantiallyhorizontal surface on the underside of coupling 60, as indicated by thepivotal connection of operator arm 70 at 74, it will be appreciated thatthe two planes mentioned may not be at right angles to each other andmay be neither horizontal nor vertical, although it will be obvious thatstability requires some angle between them.

For the foregoing reasons, I do not mean to be limited to the form shownand described, in the foregoing specification and accompanying drawing.

I claim:

1. In a system of parallel louvers rotatable about parallel axes, aselectively locatable operator which includes: an operator mounting raildisposed along one end of said louvers, a louver turning arm extendingfrom each of said louvers; an arc arm, each of said louver arms beingpivotally connected to said are arm to produce simultaneous turning ofsaid louvers when said arc arm is moved in an arc path in a plane normalto the axes of said louvers; walls defining a longitudinal operatormounting slot in said operator mounting rail on the side thereofadjacent said are arms, said operator mounting slot being partiallycovered by an inwardly projecting shoulder along at least one sidethereof; an operator means mounted on said operator mounting rail bymeans received in said operator mounting slot and engaging the innerside of said shoulder thereof; a coupling means removeably lockable tosaid are arm at a plurality of points therealong; and mechanical meansbetween said operator and said coupling for moving said are arm inlouver turning movement upon operation of said operator.

2.- In a system of parallel louvers rotatable about parallel axes, aselectively locatable operator which includes: an operator mounting raildisposed along one end of said louvers, a louver turning arm extendingfrom each of said louvers; an arc arm, each of said louver arms beingpivotally connected to said are arm to produce simultaneous turning ofsaid louvers when said arc arm is moved in an arc path in a plane normalto the axes of said louvers; walls defining a longitudinal operatormounting slot in said operator mounting rail on the side thereofadjacent said are arms, said operator mounting slot being partiallycovered by an inwardly projecting shoulder along at least one sidethereof; an operator means mounted on said operator mounting rail bymeans received in said operator mounting slot and engaging the innerside of said shoulder thereof; a coupling in the form of a channelextending longitudinally of said are arm and receiving said are arm insaid channel between a pair of channel walls, at least one of which atleast partially overhangs a portion of said are arm; locking means forlocking said coupling to said are arm; and mechanical means between saidoperator and said coupling for moving said arc arm in louver turningmovement upon operation of said operator.

3. In a system of parallel louvers rotatable about parallel axes, aselectively locatable operator which includes: an operator mounting raildisposed along one end of said louvers, and having an operator mountingflange extending for substantially the entire length of said 6 rail; alouver turning arm extending from each of said louvers near the endadjacent said operator mounting rail; an arc arm, each of said louverarms being pivotally connected to said arc arm to produce simultaneousturning of said louvers when said are arm is moved in an arc path in aplane normal to the axes of said louvers; walls defining a longitudinalcarriage slot in said operator flange on the side thereof adjacent saidare arms, said carriage slot being partially covered by an inwardlyprojecting shoulder along at least one side thereof; an operatorcarriage mountable on said operator flange by means received in saidcarriage slot and engaging the underside of said shoulder thereof; anoperator mounted on said operator carriage; an operator arm extending tosaid are arm and adapted to impart arc movement to said are arm whenmoved by said operator; and a coupling for pivotally coupling saidoperator arm to said arc arm, said coupling being in the form of achannel extending longitudinally of said are arm and receiving said arearm in said channel between a pair of channel walls, one of which atleast partially everhangs a portion of said are arm.

4. In a system of parallel louvers rotatable in pivots about parallelaxes, a selectively locatable operator which includes: an operatormounting rail disposed along one end of said louvers, and having anoperator mounting surface extending for substantially the entire lengthof said rail; a louver turning arm extending from each of said louversnear the end adjacent said operator mounting rail; an arc arm, each ofsaid louver arms being pivotally connected to said are arm to producesimultaneous turning of said louvers when said are arm is moved in anarc path in a plane normal to the axes of said louvers;

walls defining a longitudinal carriage slot in said operator flange onthe side thereof adjacent said are arms, said carriage slot beingpartially covered by an inwardly projecting shoulder along each sidethereof; an operator carriage mountable on said operator mountingsurface by means received in said carriage slot and engaging theundersides of said shoulders thereof; an operator mounted on saidoperator carriage; an operator arm extending from said operator androtatable about an axis parallel to the axis of said louvers by saidoperator; a coupling for pivotally coupling said operator arm to saidare arm, said coupling being in the form of a channel extendinglongitudinally of said are arm and receiving said are arm in saidchannel between a pair of channel walls, one of which at least partiallyoverhangs a portion of said are arm; locking means for locking saidcoupling to said are arm; and pivot means for connecting said operatorarm to said coupling at the face opposite said channel part of saidcoupling.

5. In a system of parallel louvers moveable in pivots in a pair of railstransversely disposed at opposite ends of said louvers, a selectivelylocatable operator which includes: an operator mounting rail disposedalong one end of said louvers, and having a pivot mounting flange lyingin a plane transverse to said louvers and serving as a pivot mount forthe pivots at the adjacent end of each of said louvers, and having anoperator flange extending from said operator mounting rail opposite saidlouver ends; a louver turning arm extending from each of said louversnear said pivot in said pivot flange, to a point beyond the edge of saidpivot flange; an arc arm disposed parallel to said operator mountingrail and substantialy coplanar with said pivot mounting flange, each ofsaid louver arms being pivotally connected to said are arm to producesimultaneous turning of said louvers when said are arm is moved in anarc path in a plane normal to the axes of said louvers; walls defining alongitudinal carriage slot in said operator flange on the side thereofadjacent said are arms, said carriage slot being partially covered by aninwardly projecting shoulder along each side thereof; an operatorcarriage mountable on said operator flange by means received in saideartiage slot and engaging the undersides of said shoulders thereof; anoperator mounted on said operator carriage;

an operator arm extending to said are arm and adapted arm and receivingsaid are arm in said channel between a pairof channel walls, one ofwhich at least partially overhangs a portion of said are arm; lockingmeans for locking said coupling to said are arm; and pivot means forconnecting said operator arm to said coupling at the face opposite saidchannel part of said coupling.

6. An operator system as described in claim 5 in which said operator armis caused to rotate about an axis parallel to the axisof said louversbysaid operator, and in which said operator is positioned on saidoperator carriage topl-ace said operator axis inthe plane of the axes ofsaid louver pivots, with a distance between said operator axis and saidpivot means on said coupling equal to the radius of said lower arm fromthe louver pivot to said are arm connection.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,506,771 Brown May 9, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 576,300 Canada May 19, 1959

